Leonetto CAPPIELLO (1875-1942) - Lot 41

Leonetto CAPPIELLO (1875-1942) Pasquier Giraud, 1932 Mixed media and collage. Mounted on canvas. Signed lower right. Annotated "Maquette acceptée/ Bon à tirer/ 5000 ex 120-160" lower right. (Small chips, tears and rubbing). 159 x 117 cm One of the few commissions Cappiello received for an artisanal food product (another example is Bretel butter - see Rennert, p. 300, no. 486). As the label indicates, this is a Camembert - it features the same friendly farmer. In the background, cows graze and a charming, red-cheeked farmer (1) presents a tray of three cheeses (including a Pont-L'Évêque) - all of which would be quite banal if Cappiello hadn't had the idea of topping it with the brand name, as an evocation of a traditional peasant headdress. As far as we know, the poster was never published - which is a pity. (1) The red-cheeked girls immortalized much later by Stone and Charden in their hit "Made in Normandie".